Jason Hargett had a million reasons to go golfing. It's amazing, looking back to before the riches came his way, that he almost didn't.

The 35-year-old Springville resident sank a 150-yard golf shot Tuesday after former Utah Jazz player Mark Eaton's charity event at Red Ledges outside Heber City.

Avid golfer Robbie Bosco has never had a hole-in-one and has witnessed it just once. But the former Brigham Young University quarterback knows the odds were really slim.

That's because it took the early-morning cancelation of a BYU athletic department colleague, plus Hargett initially declining Bosco's phone invitation because of a wrist hurt the previous day. The two had also played a round together.

"Jason's a good friend of mine, and a good player," said Bosco, who has known Hargett for years because he manages a Provo steakhouse that does various meals for the football team during the season. "I'm leaving my house at about 8:15 to meet another guy that morning to drive up with. About 8 a.m., he backed out so I had to find someone else.

"Jason was the first call I made, but he said his wrist still hurt too bad," Bosco added. "We hung up and I went a few other directions. But I'm on the phone with someone, when I get a beep -- Jason texted me, said he changed his mind and would try to play."

Senior associate athletic director Brian Santiago had too much going on to sneak away from the office for the day.

"One of the classic stories of all-time," said Santiago, who has one hole-in-one in his career.

Hargett wanted to play the new course, but his brother even had his regular clubs, Bosco said. That didn't keep Hargett being among the six closest to the pin on a par-3 hole. Bosco said there was no doubt Hargett would qualify for the final shoot out, even as their round continued -- "his shot was about three feet from the hole."

But they finished their round, and had to wait nearly three hours before Hargett would take what turned out to be the swing of a lifetime. He nearly left again, but the husband and father of four chose to stick around after contacting home. Good thing.

On a converted driving range and firing at a makeshift green, with a curious gallery in tow, Hargett made himself a YouTube legend and put himself in a new tax bracket.

"After I hit it, I'm like, 'Gosh, you know, that could have a chance,' " Hargett told ESPN on Friday morning. "When it started spinning diagonal, I was like, 'Holy crap, this is not happening.' ... I just couldn't believe it."

Santiago said Bosco called him, "crying, screaming." It was absolute pandemonium.

The BYU official didn't believe his colleague until Hargett got on the phone. Santiago had been short with Bosco, because he was in a meeting.

"The greatest thing about this is Jason's been a great friend to BYU athletics for a long time," Santiago said. "We've had a bunch of laughs about it."

Hargett still worked Friday night at Ruby River Steakhouse for a catered Cougar event, the night before the big football game against Florida State.

A regular on the local amateur circuit, Bosco said he heard a really good shot come off his pal's 9-iron.

"You could tell it had a chance," Bosco said. "Crisp and clean. It had a shot if it rolled the right way."

It sailed about 10 feet to the back right of the pin, before rolling backwards and dropping into the cup.

Bosco, the quarterback of BYU's 1984 national championship team, raced Hargett deliriously toward the ball. Hargett jumped into his arms midway to the hole, and Bosco tackled him like they just won the Super Bowl on a "hail Mary."

"I should get something for making him play, right?" Bosco quipped, as he happens to be an athletic department fundraiser for BYU.

For a brief ride home, Bosco became a willing chauffeur.

"We planned to drive home together, anyway, but I wound up driving his car," Bosco said. "He was shaking still, plus getting all sorts of calls and texts."

Both men spent the ride firing off calls and texts to family and friends, trying to convince everyone -- including themselves -- that it wasn't some dream.